UPDATED: Impending ECT Treatment

[danman]

Hey everyone,

Just new here and thought I would get some feedback on Electroconvulsive Therapy. I have suffered from chronic depression and anxiety for 13 years and despite trying different meds/dosages and talk therapies nothing has worked.

I havent worked for 18 months and when I did beforehand, the longest I ever worked for a company in the same industry was about 16 months.

I have had enough of this insipid, draining and tiresome illness and have been assessed as being suitable for an ECT program. I have researched the ins and outs of ECT and at this point, the pros outweigh the cons.

I will be going in as an inpatient for 4 weeks in 6weeks time so would appreciate any feedback from people that have had ECT.

Anything positive would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers Guys

Daniel

[perilpetey]

Hello fellow sufferers

I have suffered from serious chronic depression for over 30 years. I have been treated with all types of medications, including MAOI’s, tricyclics, SSRI’s and currently with Lithium and antipsychotics. Despite being completely compliant (as they say) with meds I continue to suffer bouts of very disabling depression and I absolutely hate the weight gain associated with current meds. I am considering trialling ECT, however I am very very afraid of the memory loss. I work in a very demanding high level job (and despite being 60 need to continue working indefinitely to support my family.) Does anyone have any experience of having ECT and then returning to work? How much time did you need to take off work? Is ultra brief ECT any better than the older kind, and does unilateral or bilateral have different issues with memory loss. I would be grateful for advice.

[Sophie_M]

Hi perilpetey, you may find the answers to your question in this thread:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/treatments-health-professionals-and-therapies/ect-treatment